Start a Biggest Loser Competition in Your Office

The office is often a place where people end up gaining weight. What with all the sitting around all day, snacking at your desk, office parties, ordering food as a group, and the baked goodies co-workers bring in, it's no wonder extra pounds start to creep onto the scale. So instead of getting fatter at your job, lose weight together by starting a Biggest Loser-style competition in your office.

To find out how

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Choose a starting date where everyone gets weighed. Record the numbers on a chart (post it or have a responsible person hold onto it).

Then choose to do weekly weigh-ins or just do one big weigh-in on the last day.

Choose an end date. Make the competition for a short amount of time — I'd say two to four months long in order to see some real progress.

Then of course, figure out what the Biggest Loser will win. Everyone can put in $10 to $20 and the winner receives the grand total, or you can wager something, like everyone chips in to get the winner a massage or lunch out at their favorite restaurant.

Keep in mind that it doesn't matter how many pounds you lose — it's the percentage of weight you lose as compared to your body weight. Although it is a competition, you can encourage each other to eat healthier by having office potlucks and ditching the 3 p.m. runs to Dunkin Donuts. You can also motivate each other to work out by exercising at the office or hitting the gym together on your lunch break.

A little healthy competition can be just the thing to help you ditch your old habits, and even if you don't win, you'll feel good knowing you're getting healthier.

Great idea! I live in a small town called Fairfield Bay, AR. We would like to start a Fairfield Bay "Biggest Loser" friendly, weight loss competition. We would like to use the "Biggest Loser" in our advertising which is all non-profit so that we can attract more people and local businesses to donate to our cause. I am in charge of the design for all advertising and need to know if I can use the words "Biggest Loser". Your thoughts on the matter and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We look forward to improving the lives of our friends and neighbors. Love the site! Thank you so much,
Reed McBride

4 years

We have done a few diet contests at work, and nobody invited has ever been offended ~ that I know of. We will be starting another one in a month - $20 to join - first and second place winners for largest percentage of weight lost.Weekly weigh ins - $1 fine if you gain any weight at the weekly weigh in.I have won over $300 in one contest in the past for winning, but won't be joining this time as I have kept the weight off for 4 years now. We are in Minnesota, so any outdoor exercise program is pretty much out of the question, and most women have small children, so the gym is not a possibility either. It is pretty much diet only here. I will be sending out hints and tips to the contestants and help them any way I can.

Probably about half the women I work with could maybe stand to lose a few pounds, but I don't think a weight-loss competition is a good idea because people will get way too hung up on the numbers and not focus on overall health. Why not do an exercise or fitness challenge instead? That way, everyone can participate and no one feels pressured to lose the most weight.

My husband participated in a Great Weight Loss Challenge at work, he's a Correctional Officer. Everyone who participated put in $50. The one that won got something like two grand. Total incentive! Unfortunately, it was not my husband that won!

Everyone in my office is very close (if not just slightly over) a healthy weight, so this really wouldn't work here. Plus, dieting + tax season = workplace violence.(Seamstressing is the job I love, clerical in an accounting firm pays da bills)

Everyone in my office is very close (if not just slightly over) a healthy weight, so this really wouldn't work here. Plus, dieting + tax season = workplace violence.
(Seamstressing is the job I love, clerical in an accounting firm pays da bills)